CK United’s maiden National League campaign all but over
Emmet Nugent takes the ball to the line for CK United in a dogged battle with UCC. Photos: Aisling Hyland.
CK United’s maiden voyage in the National League is all but over after defeat against a UCC side who knew that they still had a shot of qualifying for the knockout stages by winning.
The equation was simple for CK, win and book their spot in the knockout stages as the best second placed side - but they found life difficult as a determined UCC side took the game to them. The horrendous conditions didn’t help things, with the swirling wind in the second half making life difficult; but CK can only blame themselves. They didn’t take their chances in the first half where they created plenty with Emmett Nugent in particular struggling in front of goal, but in the second half, they failed to adapt to the swirling wind.
It would take a miraculous set of results to see CK qualify for the semi-finals in this truncated season. The Cork side were undeniably the better side in the game with CK struggling for large periods.
UCC asked all the early questions and will have been disappointed to not have been ahead early through Darragh O’Brien as he drove an effort wide on the right. The hosts were given a lifeline when Ronan O'Shea struck an effort off the right hand post before being cleared. The hosts first opportunity came through Kilkenny striker Emmett Nugent but his effort was saved.
UCC went close through a free from the edge of the box from O'Shea but the young CK ‘keeper Darragh O'Neill saved well. A Dean Denieffe-Kelly corner from the left threatened to cause problems at the back post when it was met by the towering figure of Mamadou Doumbia but he headed wide on the far side.
The opening goal came midway through the half when a Dan McGrath throw-in was played into Dean Denieffe-Kelly on the edge of the box and he volleyed into the bottom left hand corner with kids from his old club New Oak watching on as mascots and playing at half-time.
CK were once again undone by a set-piece when a corner was swung in from the right by O’Shea and it was eventually bundled in by UCC vice-captain John O’Donovan who fired into the top right hand corner of the net to bring them level a minute after conceding at the other end.
Daniel McCarthy headed over a free for UCC whilst a Cian Carmody cross from the right was headed wide on the near side by Nugent.
A couple of O’Shea frees threatened to cause damage, one being cleared off the line by Doumbia and the second seeing Darragh Browden’s diving header going wide on the right.
UCC took the lead just shy of the hour mark when a CK free in their own half was sent up to the halfway line but it was cleared by a UCC player and they played the ball forward and a through ball was played in behind the CK defence, with the skipper Daniel McCarthy driving his effort off the crossbar before Oscar Ahern headed in the rebound.
The visitors raced into a two-goal lead as McCarthy was afforded space down the right to get onto the end of a through ball and the CK defence never capitalised on him stumbling and he recovered the ball, driving it in behind the onrushing O’Neill who had come out to deal with the danger and despite the best efforts of Doumbia to clear, the ball went over the line.
CK grew into the game as they went in search of a goal to get them back into the game. Denieffe-Kelly saw an effort from the right before a cross from the right from substitute Ravo Kilonda found McGrath who but his effort was saved.
David Imiren gave CK hope when Feo Adeogun dispossessed a defender down the left and played a pass into Imiren who let off a shot from just inside the box into the back of the net.
A Denieffe-Kelly corner from the left was played short to Liam McDonnell who played it back to him and his flying effort required a brilliant save from the UCC ‘keeper to parry it over the bar to deny him. McDonnell played a ball from the left into Adeogun who hit his effort just wide on the far side.
UCC hung on for a win that leaves CK relying on a hugely unlikely set of results to see them qualify for the semi-finals, including relying on Newbridge to get a historic first win in the National League over UCC this weekend.
Darragh O’Neill; Harry Sherlock (Ravo Kilonda ‘46), Dan McGrath (Liam McDonnell ‘74), Mark Imiren (Robbie O’Toole ‘60), Ethan Boyle, Mamadou Doumbia; Dean Denieffe-Kelly, Cian Carmody, Shane Barnes (Fayo Adeogun ‘46); Callum Warfield (David Imiren ‘60), Emmett Nugent.
Gavin O’Brien, Adam Coyne, Kyle Foley, Lord Afrifa.
Robert Barry; Ronan Murphy, Mark Carey, John O’Donovan, Daniel McCarthy; Éanna Fitzgerald, Oscar Ahern (Darragh Bowdren ‘65), Ronan O’Shea; Ethan Ballard, Darragh O’Brien, Callum McFadden.
Evan Lynch, Shane O’Neill, Finn Bond-Smith, Derry Howard, Eric O’Sullivan, Conor O’Sullivan, Jorge Ramos.
Patrick Roche (Wicklow) assisted by Nadjib Zabati (Dublin) and Ihor Makarenko (Wexford)
